Russian tennis sensation Mirra Andreeva has advanced to the finals of the Indian Wells Open after a series of impressive victories. She defeated defending champion Iga Swiatek 7-6, 1-6, 6-3 in chilly conditions, becoming the youngest finalist in the event since 2001.
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03-16, 2025However, the match was overshadowed by Swiatek's loss of composure towards a ball boy. She violently hit a ball back towards the ball boy, narrowly missing the young man who was standing with his arms outstretched. Swiatek claimed she heard movement behind her from the ball boy while receiving Andreeva's serve, but there was no clear evidence of any movement behind her.
This outburst drew boos from the audience in the stands. Furthermore, Swiatek has also faced recent criticism after testing positive for a banned substance, resulting in a one-month suspension.
Andreeva, the 17-year-old ninth seed in the tournament, successfully put the incident behind her and will meet top seed Aryna Sabalenka in the final. In the second semi-final, Sabalenka swept aside fifth seed Madison Keys 6-0, 6-1 in just 51 minutes.
"I don't know why I felt so confident. I felt like, 'I'm going to play this tie-break like it's the last tie-break of my life,'" Andreeva said. "So I just went for every ball. My serve was great, and I felt very comfortable and confident."
Andreeva's tour winning streak has extended to 11 matches, ending Swiatek's 10-match winning streak in the California desert. The Russian player won her first WTA tour title last month in Dubai, becoming the youngest player to win a WTA 1000 event. Kim Clijsters also reached the final at the age of 17 in 2001, but lost to Serena Williams.
